While the article made some interesting points, it seemed a little full of hyperbole and somewhat overdramatic.

Like a lot of other bloggers and journalists, I was tempted to write a point by point rejoinder to the piece dissecting his every paragraph.

I decided not to go down that path and I’m glad I did.

When I started this blog, I wanted to create an open platform for all points of view about Microsoft and Windows 8. I anticipated back then (three years ago) that there would probably be a vigorous debate about the next version of Windows and I wanted to be part of it.

Today, I continue to try and remain objective and am still willing to listen to all opinions about Microsoft and Windows 8.

In that spirit, I reached out to Mr. Hartung and asked if he would be willing to speak with me about his article. I was curious about his point of view but I didn’t want to extrapolate or assume. I wanted to hear it directly from the source.

He graciously agreed to speak with me and last Friday, we had a chance to speak for roughly an hour about Windows 8, the state of the tech industry and the future of Microsoft.

While I can’t say I agree with everything he had to say, I have to say I have a lot of respect for his lack of equivocation. He was candid, assertive, forceful and to the point but even more importantly, he stood behind everything he had written.

Once again I’d like to thank Mr. Hartung for his time. It was a very intellectually stimulating hour.

So without further ado, here is the transcript of my interview with Adam Hartung.

For decades, people have been predicting Microsoft’s demise. Those predictions have obviously been greatly exaggerated. Mobile devices are great (I’m writing this on my iPad), but just try running your company on one.

Great point. I still think Microsoft has the Enterprise – at least for now.

Larryalobo

We often have linear views of the future – this will come from that since that’s happening now. New twists and turns are part of most of what happens in the future (see the “Connections” TV series on youtube now) and though old players can get very lost (note Montgomery Wards) they can reinvent themselves. We’ll see the decisions Microsoft makes from here on. I’ve never thought that Windows phone 7 or Windows 8 was the end all be all but merely the introduction into the future. I’m look for the phrase “There’s an app for that” to be turned into “my phone/tablet/computer can do that” so apps are more an extra feature than the main point of the devices.

Now that would be interesting. However he says his money’s in a blind trust.

John W.

In my own “old age” opinion, I have stated before that MS thinks it can put together junk every year or two and dump it on business’s, and home users, like Apple does with their products. I don’t see apple changing their Mac’s etc every year or two, but only upgrade what they already have to make it better. Yes, their ipad, and iphones do come out every year or less, but they make them better for everybody. I said before, and if you visit any government facility, and watch their computer screen you will see they still have and use XP, because that was something MS did right. Now, if MS wanted to change the world, introduce new devices, ie, tablets, phones, etc, then they should have spent some of that R&D on how to integrate touchscreen, Apps, etc into the XP to expand it, make it better, upgrading browsers within XP, so users both business and home users would get the feel of the changes. By MS doing this, they could have built into that great XP, the sync for all MS’s new devices,making it easier for government, business’s and people to use them, thus giving MS a really great chance to grab its market share back. Right now, I will stick with my ME from 1999, (I am typing this on it), and my Vista. When I buy a new computer this summer, I am positive that it will be an Apple product and nothing to do with the new Windows8. I am 65 and it is hard for me NOT to have a physicle keyboard, and ease to just start the computer. I have 2 –ipad2’s, and apple support as well as their apple store near me are outstanding in helping me learn or do something on them for FREE. MS wants $100 just to clean out their Bloatware which I did not want to begin with. MS needs to step back and look at the XP again and go from there, or they will be the next blockbuster video,netflix, and join the ranks of kmart/sears, radio shack.